SketchUp UK Blog

Do you or don’t you? If you’re researching why to buy SketchUp Pro, this article is for you. Our comprehensive guide reveals everything about why it’s such a cool tool, and delves into why it’s an even better idea to buy it from Elmtec. We’ll cover the cost of SketchUp pro and how to buy a SketchUp licence with confidence. By the end you’ll be raring to go – or we hope so! This really is one of the best, most fun and feature-rich 3D drawing tools out there, used by a huge variety of professions and other design-focused people. It’ll change your design life.

Why Buy SketchUp Pro

You can buy SketchUp in all sorts of formats, for commercial use, higher education, and primary and secondary schools. Each plan has been carefully crafted to provide everything needed to make the most of the tool in the way that’s most relevant. First, let’s explore the different packages available and what they’ll do for you. Then we’ll look into why the Pro version is such a good buy.

Commercial Plans for SketchUp

For commercial use you’ve got SketchUp Go, which lets you design and collaborate anywhere you like. It costs £95 a year. Buy SketchUp Go to: 

  • Model on a browser or iPad
  • Access more than 4 million pre-built 3D models
  • Admire your work via the integral augmented reality viewer
  • Get unlimited cloud storage

SketchUp for higher education

SketchUp Studio for Students and SketchUp Studio for Educators both cost £xx a year, and there’s a version for Universities that comes with a tiered price plan. You can make accurate 3D models in an education context, and the package supports you in teaching SketchUp skills to learners.  

SketchUp Pro

SketchUp Pro is the most popular commercial version. The cost of SketchUp Pro is £245 a year and the perfect way to create professional outcomes. Buy SketchUp Pro to:

  • Model on a desktop, web browser, Chromebook or iPad
  • 2D design documentation
  • Quick insights for design research
  • Experience reality (XR) headset viewing

Access to plugins for extending SketchUp Pro Desktop functionality

SketchUp Studio

 

SketchUp Studio is for Windows only and costs £549 a year, ideal for professional workflows. Buy SketchUp Studio to:

  • Model on a desktop, web browser, Chromebook or iPad
  • Import and model onto point cloud data with native tools
  • Export to LayOut and document point cloud data in 2D
  • Interactive, real-time visualisations as you work
  • Create and export photorealistic images
  • Export fully rendered animations and 360° panoramas

SketchUp for higher education

SketchUp Studio for Students and SketchUp Studio for Educators both cost £xx a year, and there’s a version for Universities that comes with a tiered price plan depending on your exact needs. They let you and your students make accurate 3D models in an education context, and support you in teaching SketchUp skills to learners.    

SketchUp for primary and secondary schools

SketchUp for Schools is a great choice for primary and secondary education. It comes free with a G Suite or Microsoft Education account.

  • Works on Chromebooks or any internet connected computer
  • In-app lesson plans
  • Print in 3D
  • Online community support
  • Store files on Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive

SketchUp free

SketchUp Pro FREE costs nothing. So how does it differ from the paid-for Pro version?

For a start they both give you access to masses of excellent SketchUp tutorials, for a start. Both contain the same Large Tool Set tools, and the modelling environments are the same too. Pro comes with more 3D export options including various CAD formats, 3D Studio, and Object. You can use Dynamic Components in both versions, but you can only author them as a Pro user. The Pro version of SketchUp also comes with Layout 2, the presentation package that integrates with SketchUp models, and Style Builder, an application to create your own unique styles.

As you can tell the free version is full of fantastic features. But the Pro version provides many advanced tools and modelling capabilities. Everything is just as easy to use as it is in the free version, and it’s surprisingly affordable considering how powerful, exciting, fun and easy to use it is. All this makes it definitely worth buying as a current user of the free and educational packages.

The answer to the question ‘is SketchUp Pro worth buying?’ is a definite yes! The high number of people and organisations transferring to the Pro version from the free or educational packages speaks for itself.  The cost of SketchUp pro, bearing in mind all the extra features and benefits, is well worth the investment.

There are several ways to buy SketchUp Pro. Elmtec is one of the most popular providers. Next, we’ll take a look at why Elmtec rates so high with buyers.  

Why Buy SketchUp Pro From Elmtec

There are plenty of good reasons to buy SketchUp Pro via Elmtec. For a start, Elmtec has extensive experience in the digital design space, where they’ve been working successfully for a quarter of a century. And that makes them a recognised leading distributor of professional hardware and software. Because they employ such highly qualified specialists, Elmtec’s in-depth product knowledge and industry experience is second to none. And they’re the official UK SketchUp distributor, which counts for a lot when downloading from sources you can’t 100% trust can cause all sorts of problems.

Being based here in the UK means Elmtec can give you excellent support locally, and the people delivering that support are seriously responsive. Help is yours 7 days a week and the team will always get back to you within 24 hours.

It’s good to know Elmtec support comes from real human beings, not bots, whether you get it by telephone or email. It’s so much better than fiddling about with bot-led help when you really want a fast, accurate answer from a person who knows exactly what they’re talking about. This even includes technical support directly from the official UK supplier, a valuable benefit. The simple fact that we’re in the same time zone makes a big difference.

 

Maybe you need some product training. Many SketchUp Pro adopters do. If so you’ll want it to be great training worth having. At Elmtec we provide popular monthly onboarding webinars where you’ll learn the basics of SketchUp alongside a SketchUp expert who guides you every step of the way.

 

There’s more on the learning front. Elmtec provides superb personalised training programs, which can be created specifically for large accounts with multiple users. And that means your people get the exact training they need, expertly delivered every time.

 

When you buy SketchUp Pro from Elmtec you can get your hands on a collection of exciting offers and generous discounts from authorised training centres across the UK, giving you in depth support and knowledge throughout your SketchUp journey.

 

Now you know the cost of SketchUp Pro and understand the best place to buy a SketchUp licence, all you need to do is purchase one of the world’s best-loved 3D drawing tools and you’re off. Enjoy the ride! 

About Elmtec

Elmtec have been the UK distribution partner for SketchUp since 2010, and service a network of UK and Irish resellers. We have over 22 years’ experience within the digital design community.

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